USB/MIDI Control Surfaces

• Encoder assign – chooses what the knob above each track controls

  • Use left/right arrows next to the main knob to control what parameters within these categories the knobs are controlling (displayed on scribble screens – little screens under encoder knobs)

  • Press the specific ‘Encoder Assign’ button again to alter parameters for the selected track for EQ, Send, Plug-in, and INST

  • Track – encoder knobs control basic track information, including volume, panning, channel format (mono/stereo), input/output source, automation mode, and group (pressing the knob alters these as well (set to 0, enter, etc.)

  • Pan/surround – encoder knobs control panning (pressing knob sets to 0)

  • EQ – encoder knobs allow you to alter any parameters of an instantiated channel EQ

  • Send – controls sends for each track

  • Plug-in – controls various parameters for the instantiated effect plug-ins for a selected track (varies as to what parameters it controls for each plugin used) and can also change the plugin used

  • Inst – controls various parameters for the instantiated instrument/synth plug-in for a selected track (varies as to what parameters it controls for each plugin used) and can also change the plugin used

• Grey strip (including Global View) – determines what types of tracks are displayed on the control surface and in the DAW mixer

  • With Global View, you see all types of tracks, with each of the other buttons (Midi Tracks to Outputs), you see only those types of tracks displayed 

• Function buttons

  • Can be assigned to control a variety of functions (e.g. F1 could change your mouse tool from pointer to scissors tool, F2 could open/close the mixer, etc.)

  • Preset to whatever your DAW has assigned to your keyboard function buttons

  • To assign new functions (in Logic), go to Logic Pro X —> key commands —> edit

    • From this window, you click on the function you want to assign, press the ‘Learn New Assignment’ button in the bottom right-hand corner of the window, and then hold Control and press the desired function button on the XTouch to assign that function to that button

• Modify buttons – similar to how these buttons operate in the DAW (work in conjunction with other buttons)

• Automation section

  • Read, Write, Touch, and Latch choose automation type (between these 4)

  • Group – automatically selects tracks which are grouped together (selects groups)

  • Use the up/down arrows in the up/down/left/right arrow buttons next to the main knob to cycle between groups (which one is selected is displayed on the screen strip under Assignment)

  • Trim – allows you to acutely adjust what automation is already written into the DAW as opposed to writing new automation over it

• Utility controls – perform same operations as in the DAW (save, undo, cancel, enter)

• Transport controls

  • Fast-forward/rewind: press to fast-forward/rewind (press again to speed up FF/RW process; press the opposite to slow it down, eventually to a stop)

  • Stop/Play pauses/plays the track

    • Press ‘stop’ twice to go to the beginning of the whole track (bar 1)

    • Pressing ‘play’ button again after it is already playing will play it from the same point that you previously played it from

  • Record button starts recording on the track that is selected

    • If the track is stopped and you press ‘record’, it will give a specified amount of bars in before it starts recording (default is 1 bar in)

    • If the track is playing and you press ‘record’, it will start recording from where the track locator is in real time (punch-in)

  • ‘Nudge’ button affects up/down/left/right arrow keys on the bottom (see below)

  • ‘Cycle’ button controls loop on/off

  • ‘Click’ button turns metronome on/off

  • ‘Solo’ button turns solo on/off for the selected track

• Other buttons

  • SMPTE/Beats button on the far right of the strip screen changes the display on the strip screen to show either time or beats/measures through the project

  • Use main, large knob (in lower left corner) to move locator

  • Press SCRUB button next to main, large knob to make the locator move incremental amounts when the knob is used

  • Use ‘channel’ arrows under ‘transport’ controls to change which 8 tracks are included on the XTouch (cycles one track at a time)

  • Use ‘fader bank’ arrows under ‘transport’ controls to change which 8 tracks are included on the XTouch (cycles all 8 tracks to the next 8 tracks)

  • Up/down/left/right arrow thing next to main knob:

    • When middle (+) button is selected, use left/right and up/down arrows to zoom vertically and horizontally

    • When ‘nudge’ button is selected under ‘transport’ controls, use left/right arrows to cycle between adjacent audio/instrument recordings on one track

    • Determines parameters being controlled by encoder knobs within each ‘encoder assign’ category

If not connecting to DAW...

• Hold down ‘select’ button on track 1 while you power on controller

• Track 1 will show ‘Mode’ options and Track 2 will show ‘IFC’ options; for ‘Mode’, use encoder knob (knob above track 1) to select ‘MC’ (=Mackie control), and for ‘IFC’ select ‘USB’

• After these are selected, press select on track one of controller to connect to DAW

• Might have to go to Preferences —> MIDI in your DAW to make sure the XTouch is selected as a controller